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Smart Technology — More connected for more confidence and control

Spektrum™ Smart Technology is about offering a higher connection to your hobby. It's an RC ecosystem that puts you in complete control while making vital components of your model easier to use than ever before. Smart technology ensures that all of your model's electronics work together seamlessly for the greatest efficiency and performance. It keeps you aware of every component's status, boosts your confidence in its capabilities, and makes your entire system more responsive and simple to use.

Spektrum radios with Smart features can download firmware updates instantly using Wi-Fi and can swap setups with compatible radios via Bluetooth. Spektrum Smart LiPo batteries have a built-in microchip that records and communicates your charging preferences automatically to Smart chargers — just connect your pack and press "Start." Smart IC™ series connectors include an innovative data wire that transfers information easily between Smart components with a single connection. Finally, Smart ESCs not only deliver power but also eliminate the hassles from running telemetry. The days of installing and connecting multiple wires, sensors, modules and links are over.

Feature Overview

You’ll never have to set charge preferences for a Spektrum Smart battery until you want to. When a Spektrum Smart LiPo battery is connected to a Spektrum Smart charger, unique parameters and health of that Smart LiPo battery upload from the Smart memory microchip integrated into the battery. Through the charger, you can view and set preferences, such as charge rates, so that all you have to do to charge the pack every time is press the charger “Start” button. Smart technology takes care of the rest.

Every Smart LiPo battery is factory assembled with the next-generation IC3™ or IC5™ output connector that’s conveniently compatible with older devices equipped with robust EC3™ and EC5™ connectors. You can use Smart Batteries with older systems, but only when connected to a Spektrum Smart device will all the benefits of Smart technology become obvious.

Spektrum Smart LiPo Batteries Store Unique Data, such as:

Battery Brand

Battery Type

Battery Capacity

Battery C Rating

Individual Cell Voltage

Battery Temperature

Charge/Discharge Cycles

Spektrum Smart LiPo batteries also maintain an error log including the number of over-heat, over-discharge and over-charge incidents which can be helpful data in assuring that the battery you’ve chosen is right for the application. A Smart Battery uploads its charge parameters to a Spektrum Smart Charger automatically making charging as simple as pressing the “Start” button. The charge rate of every Smart Battery is customizable, allowing you to take full advantage of packs with faster charge ratings.

Video Overview

Smart Battery Technology

When connected to a Spektrum Smart charger, unique parameters and health of your Smart LiPo battery upload from the Smart memory microchip integrated into the battery. Through the charger, you can set and record preferred settings, such as charge rates and self-discharge options, so that all you have to do to charge the pack is press the “start” button. Smart technology will take care of the rest. Every Smart LiPo battery is factory assembled with the next-generation IC3™ and IC5™ output connector that utilizes a data transfer wire to relay saved information to your Smart Chargers.

Data Rich

An integrated microchip allows each Smart Battery to save vital information such as battery brand, chemistry, cell count, capacity, number of charging cycles, number of discharges, C rating, battery temperature, and internal resistance. Additionally, each battery will save a log of unhealthy events such as over-charge, over-discharge, and over-temperature. This allows you to make the most informed decision about each battery when you are getting your gear ready for a day at the field or the track.

Simple and Quick

Preset charge, discharge, and storage parameters are automatically relayed to a Spektrum Smart Charger making charging as simple as pressing the “start” button. Charge rate of individual batteries can be user customized allowing you to take full advantage of packs with faster charge ratings. The integrated microchip on each battery will remember the last charging rate you set, so the next time you plug it in, these settings will automatically populate so all you have to do is press “Start.”

IC3 & IC5 Connectors

The innovative Smart connection is made possible by an installed microchip on every battery, feeding the unique information through a data cable to the IC3 and IC5 connectors. The IC series of connectors are designed from the ground up to provide a more solid connection, higher heat resistance, and effortless installation. For those using the popular EC3 and EC5 connectors, there’s no need to worry. The IC connector series is entirely backwards compatible with existing connectors so you can use Smart Batteries with older systems, but only when connected to a Spektrum Smart device are all the benefits of Smart technology obvious.

Smart Discharge

LiPo batteries with Spektrum Smart™ technology practically take care of themselves. When programmed with a Spektrum Smart Charger, Smart Batteries will automatically discharge to your predetermined storage voltage when they are left to rest for a time period you choose, between 12 and 240 hours. This feature will help to extend the life of your Smart Batteries by preventing your batteries from sitting fully charged for an extended period of time, which can damage the chemical integrity of Lithium Polymer cells. This unique feature results in longer battery life expectancy and better performance over the life of the pack.

Battery Safety Sheet

Manuals

FAQs

DO: Use a charger that is specifically designed to charge Li-Po batteries. Using chargers that are not Li-Po-specific can be an extreme fire hazard.

DO: Li-Pos don't develop memory or voltage depression characteristics like Ni-Cds. Charge them without the worry of cycling or discharging them first.

DO: Store Li-Pos at least partially charged. Li-Pos will maintain their performance levels over time, even during non-use, much better than Ni-Cds, and there's no need to cycle them.

DON'T: Never fully discharge your Li-Po battery pack. Most electronic speed controls have a voltage cutoff that will prevent over-discharging the battery, but were designed for Ni-Cd & Ni-MH batteries. Be sure that your ESC features the proper Li-Po cut off voltage of 3V per cell (6V for 2-cell packs, 9V for 3-cell packs and so on). Discharging a Li-Po cell beyond its critical minimum voltage will cause damage to the battery.

DON'T: Shorting a Li-Po pack for even an instant can cause damage to the battery. Whether the pack has been shorted when new, while adding or changing the connector, when fully charged or fully discharged, the pack should not be charged without extreme caution. Be sure to take care when soldering connectors and during handling or charging to prevent shorts.

DON'T: If you have a crash and the battery is damaged, don't put the battery in your car or house immediately after a crash. It's possible that a chemical reaction can take place in the damaged battery that could cause a fire. Put the battery in a safe place for at least one hour.

Li-Po packs are available in 2- and 3-cell varieties (Thunder Power packs are also available in 4-cell and 5-cell models). Each cell in the pack has a nominal voltage of 3.7V and multi-cell packs are wired in series.

A "C" or "current" rating indicates the maximum recommended average discharge current for that pack and is used to help you determine the maximum discharge rate. To determine the maximum discharge rate, multiply the "C" rating by the pack capacity (i.e. 1900mAh cell x 6C rating = maximum discharge rate of 11,400mA or 11.4A).

Larger packs use the "P" number to indicate the number of cells in parallel. For instance 3S2P indicates the pack is built with 2 cells in parallel, then 3 sets of the 2 parallel cells are joined in series.

Li-Po batteries require a very different charge method than Ni-Cd or Ni-MH cells and can catch fire if charged with a standard, non-Li-Po charger. Li-Po batteries do not "peak" when fully charged and require a "constant current/constant voltage" capable charger.

JST connectors have become the standard on many electronic speed controls and chargers for slow flyer and park flyer applications. While it's true that the JST connector does have a discharge output limitation, it is still the first choice of beginning modelers or those who do not discharge at very high rates.

Product Support Tips

Product Support

Technical questions about this Spektrum product should be directed to Horizon Hobby's Product Support Department: